Surf Forecasts:
Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, ENE swell with 572 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kohala Lighthouse this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Kohala Lighthouse in the next 16 days are 1.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kohala Lighthouse over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
Right off the bat, it’s looking pretty bleak. We’ve got Kohala Lighthouse on the radar, and for the next couple of weeks, the wind is going to be a real problem. It’s mostly a strong cross-shore breeze straight out of the ENE, which is just messing things up. The water temp is sitting at 81° and that’s about normal for this time of year, no surprises there.
Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are a write-off. Thursday morning we’ve got a tiny 3 ft swell from the ENE with a short 7-second period and only 140 units of energy, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy. Absolute no-go. Friday sees a bit more size, up to 4 ft, but the wind gets stronger and it’s a lumpy cross-chop.
Saturday the 22nd kicks up to 7 ft on the morning with the same short period 6-second stuff, and 301 units of energy – moderate, but the cross-wind is 22 mph. It’s messy. That continues through Sunday, hitting 7 ft on the afternoon but with 25 mph winds.
Through the whole week up to Monday the 31st, it’s the same story: swell between 4 ft and 8 ft, but always cross or cross-onshore winds from the ENE, moderate to strong breeze. The energy ramps up a bit, hitting 386 units on the 25th, but it doesn’t matter with that wind. The surf is poor, the conditions are lumpy and choppy. This isn’t paddle surfing, this is kite surfing territory with that much wind and that kind of beach/reef setup.
There’s a glimmer of hope. On Thursday the 3rd of September, we finally get a break in the wind. The morning is glassy, calm wind at 0 mph, with a 3 ft swell from the ENE. That’s clean, that’s rideable. Very good conditions all of a sudden. Then by the afternoon, the wind is only 3 mph from the SSW, basically glassy, and the swell picks up to 5 ft with 506 units of energy. That’s the standout of the whole forecast period. Nice and clean, but keep in mind that period is only 7 seconds – short and a bit fat, but with clean faces you’ll get fun waves at Kohala Lighthouse. The crowds are sometimes a factor, so don’t expect to have it empty.
Friday the 4th of September looks like it goes back to cross-shore wind and marginal conditions, so that Thursday the 3rd is really your one day to make a move.
In the long range, *Saturday the 30th of August* and *Sunday the 31st* have a decent sized swell coming at 6 ft to 8 ft, with energy up over 1300 units – that’s very strong. But the wind is still cross or cross-onshore at 16-22 mph, so it’s going to be a bumpy mess. The period extends to 13 seconds on the 31st, which is a proper groundswell, but with that wind direction, it’s not going to shape up well at Kohala Lighthouse. That’s more for experts in strong conditions if they’re desperate.
So, the bottom line: if you’re waiting, hold out for the 3rd of September. That’s your one clean window. The rest is wind-blown and not worth paddling out for.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Thu morning, strong winds from the ENE by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 25°C on Sun afternoon). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | E 9 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
97 | 105 | 67 | 124 | 213 | 179 | 282 | 263 | 392 | 572 | 310 | 452 | 224 | 356 | 428 | 383 | 344 | 181 | 147 | 177 | 158 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 10:57AM0.66m | 12:05PM0.70m | 12:49PM0.75m | 11:54PM0.34m | 1:23PM0.79m | 00:44AM0.37m | 1:51PM0.83m | 1:21AM0.42m | 2:17PM0.85m | 1:55AM0.47m | 2:42PM0.86m | 2:30AM0.52m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 2:39AM0.22m | 4:19AM0.21m | 8:46PM0.30m | 5:31AM0.17m | 8:43PM0.28m | 6:21AM0.14m | 8:51PM0.26m | 7:02AM0.11m | 9:04PM0.24m | 7:39AM0.09m | 9:20PM0.22m | ||||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
— | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:44 | — | — | 6:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | W 10 | W 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 |
97 | 105 | 67 | 32 | 37 | 33 | 19 | 38 | 38 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 8 | W 9 | W 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | NE 8 |
34 | 29 | 21 | 26 | 25 | 39 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | SW 9 | SW 9 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 16 | — | N 9 | N 8 | E 16 |
9 | 9 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 5 | — | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 4 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | E 9 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
— | — | 7 | 124 | 213 | 179 | 282 | 263 | 392 | 572 | 310 | 452 | 224 | 356 | 428 | 383 | 344 | 181 | 147 | 177 | 158 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 25 | 25 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 57 | 73 | 73 | 69 | 73 | 57 | 69 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Kohala Lighthouse Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Kohala Lighthouse provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kohala Lighthouse can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Kohala Lighthouse) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Kohala Lighthouse may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Kohala Lighthouse is 87 km (54 miles) from Kihei. If you plan a vacation in Big Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Kihei. Kihei has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











